William (Bill) Proudfoot

Bill joined Victoria Police on the 2nd of July 1888 and retired as a Superintendent in 1926.

A Collingwood Football Club legend at the turn of last century -he was one of the finest and fairest players of his day, a high leaping, athletic big man who was also the club's captain and coach in 1898 and 1901.

His football career spanned 15 years - he was in fact one of the original players to form the Collingwood team in 1892. He played in the premiership teams of 1896, 1901 and 1902, and a grandstand at Victoria Park was named after him in later years.

Bill was also an exemplary police officer who was awarded a Bronze Medal in 1919 from the Royal Humane Society. He risked his life to stop two runaway horses, and forced them away from a tram car fully loaded with passengers.